


a heart that's not walking away

by lightinthedarkness



Category: Tales of Berseria, Tales of the Rays (Video Game)
Genre: Also slight Rays spoilers, F/M, Mainly for Velvet's chapter and Eizen's event, Major Berseria Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-06-12 18:59:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15346437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lightinthedarkness/pseuds/lightinthedarkness
Summary: He honestly wanted to have this conversation on the Van Eltia, surrounded by the stars and the sea. But with the Reaper's Curse things never go Eizen's way...the Heimdallr will have to do.Or, Eizen and Velvet have a chat.





	a heart that's not walking away

**Author's Note:**

> I've been wanting to write something for these two for literal months and it's finally happened! While I loved what moments these two already had in-game I really wanted more and Eizen's event delivered. Title comes from the song "Ships In The Night" by Mat Kearney which is just...such a good song for them.

Sleep eluded Eizen his first night on the Heimdallr.

Despite being a Malak, he had grown accustomed to sleeping in a bed similarly to humans, having often forgone the more practical option of his coin for sheets and pillows (well, the pillows at least, seeing as he had regularly used his coat as a blanket).

But even the fairly nice beds of the ship couldn’t entice him to sleep that night. How could he sleep, with a million thoughts racing through his mind?

He went over the day’s events as he walked along the hallway, his boots clunked under the foreign metal.

_ ‘She’s grown up so much hasn’t she?’ _ He asked himself as he ran a hand through his hair,  _ ‘It feels like I looked away for a second…’ _

“Even the Reaper can’t rest well,” the voice that pulled him from his thoughts felt sharp, but familiar. He hid the smirk on his lips as he turned to Velvet, “Missing your ship that badly?” she prodded him.

“With the Van Eltia you could at least hear the ocean,” he contemplated, “But here there’s a different noise...it doesn’t sound right….it’s unnatural.”

“As unnatural as a Malak banging his boots against the floor?” she raised an eyebrow at him, “I won’t forgive you if you wake up Phi I hope you know.” she threatened, glaring at him with her hands on her hips.

He merely shrugged, “The boy’s had a long day, he’ll be fine.”

Velvet’s stare did not falter, a moment passing before she grabbed his sleeve, pulling him away from the other rooms.

To say he was taken aback would have been an understatement, “Just what are you-” his protest stopped the moment she turned to him, bandaged finger against her lips and a snarl threatening to come out. He only let out his own growl in response before silence filled the hallway once more.

Though he was given a tour of the Heimdallr earlier that day, the darkness took away any hint of familiarity Eizen may have had with the ship. As much as he hated to admit it, it was nice to have a guide who (hopefully) knew her way around the place.

He only had a rough idea of where they were when he could see pale moonlight through the one large window.

“The bridge?” he asked to break the silence. He at least knew they were a good distance away from the other bedrooms. If anyone woke up from him talking all the way here then they would just have to deal with it.

Velvet released his sleeve, “There, now you can sulk over your sister in peace.” she folded her arms, ignoring his question.

“How did you-”

“That look on your face…” he couldn’t tell if it was just the glow of the contraptions surrounding them, or if her face actually softened up, “You always get that look when you’re thinking about Edna.”

He knew he had to be staring...how could she know that? Was he that obvious?

“And if I am?” was the only retort he could come up with.

Velvet shrugged, “Do what you want, I already told you what you need to do.”

A “humph” left Eizen as he turns away from her, “It’s not-”

“It’s not that simple, you’ve said as much,” he was getting really irritated with her interrupting him, “But give me one reason why it isn’t,” She didn’t give him a chance to respond, “Give me one good reason why, and I’ll shut up."

He paused, and turned to her with a questioning look. In the short time he had been around this woman, he had figured out a bit of how Velvet Crowe thinks.

She was not a foolish woman….She already knew what he was going to say.

“I vowed to protect Edna from my curse,” his tone felt controlled and even, despite the rage bubbling within, “No one on Earth, the Heavens, or the Nine Hells will stop me from keeping that vow.”

Velvet looked at him for a moment, expression unmoving. Dammit.

“You mean the curse she said she doesn’t care about?” 

Damn her.

“You think you know so much about my situation?” He felt the venom rise in his throat, “What makes you such an expert?”

She took a step towards him, her own contempt surrounding her in replacement of malevolence. Her gaze refused to move from his own, lifting her bandaged arm with a snarl, “My brothers never talked to me.”

Oh.

Eizen’s anger subsided with his sigh as he closed his eyes, “Right…” He could hear her own “humph”, the silence being their agreement...for now.

He knew she didn’t actually think of him as similar to Artorius or even Laphi, but still….the implied comparison stung in a way he wasn’t expecting, the ghost of a tiny fist hitting his gut once more. He felt the sting rise into his chest, practically suffocating him.

“We can talk more about this later...” her voice broke his trance, making him open his eyes. It sounded as if her own rage had calmed down as well, “Stubbornness aside…I’m glad you’re here...”

Eizen didn’t miss a beat, offering the retort, “You must be desperate if you seek the Reaper’s company.”

No response, making him turn back to her. Velvet walked to the rails at the far end of the room, looking out over the dark night sky. Her gaze told him she was far, far away.

“Eizen…” she said after a rather long silence, “When you look at everyone else here...what’s the first thing that comes to mind?” She took his raised eyebrow as a sign to continue, “Just...humor me for a moment.”

Between the tour and the rescue from Titania, there was very little time for socializing with the others. That being said, Edna’s company had definitely made an impression on him. 

“Naive, daring….” he followed her, leaning his back against the rails, “Similar to a character in a fantastical adventure if I’m being completely honest...very…”

“Heroic.” It wasn’t a question.

“Aye, ‘Heroic’.”

Velvet let out a low hum, “That’s what I figured…” she stared out at the sky once more.

He stared at her for a moment, “I already feel out of place and I’ve only been here a half a day,” he tried to pull her out of another trance, “I can’t imagine going however long you have.”

She looked to him and Eizen swore he could see the faintest smirk on her lips before her usual demeanor returned, “I know all the terrible things I’ve done, the pain I’ve caused, the people I’ve hurt, all in the name of vengeance, in the name of my anger and despair...” she trailed off.

“And yet you haven’t let it stop you,” he let out a soft chuckle, “And that’s the reason why you feel so out of sorts with everyone.”

She looked at him in confusion, “What do you mean?” 

Eizen took in a deep breath, taking the moment to choose his words, “You are, by far, one of the most self-absorbed people I’ve ever met.” The miffed look in her eyes did not stop him, “You take advantage of people, of situations, anything and everything to reach a goal that thousands of people have had before you, and thousands more will have after you.”

“You-” Velvet rose from her relaxed position, hands balled up into fists.

But it was his turn to interrupt her, “But that’s not the point, at least not now it isn’t,” Eizen lifted himself from the rail, turning his body towards her, “You really shouldn’t be all that different from any other self-absorbed human, daemon, whatever you consider yourself to be…. and yet, you are…”

Though still present, her fury had calmed down, her hands just a bit more relaxed, “And just what makes me so different Reaper?” her words still came out as a low growl of irritation.

He chose to ignore her irritation, she would get over it, “The woman that endured so much pain and despair that she felt justified in her actions, consequences be damned? You’ve never turned away from her, or denied her existence. As you do with most things, you consumed her, you accepted her, and that’s something I don’t think most of the people here could do.”

Even the irritation within her vanished, a stunned look replacing it. Velvet took a moment before replying, “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or not but...Thank you I suppose.”

Eizen shrugged, “No thanks needed, I merely speak the truth…”

Silence encased the room once more as Velvet looked away for a moment, “I have another question though.” she turned back to him, using his quick “Hm?” to continue. 

“That word…‘self-absorbed’, you’ve used it before...back at the Earthpulse Point when you chained me and Phi down,” she smirked at his look of surprise, resting her hand on her hip, “I could still hear….and you’re a very loud man when you want to be.”

He hated how much she seemed to relish in his surprise.

“And?” he gruffed out a response, “What of it?”

Her smirk vanished, “It’s not a word I’d use to describe myself...call me curious.”

Eizen leaned back against the rail and started at the ceiling for a moment, “Aye, I’m aware you think you’re selfish.”

“Still do.”  

“Well I disagree. What selfish person offers themselves up as dog food? You’ve said it yourself, you don’t care about the future after your revenge. What about that can be considered selfish?”

He would have been lying if he said he wasn’t enjoying the way her face wrinkled at his questions, “Oh really?” she turned to him, “If that’s the case, then what selfish person would chain me down when I wanted Innominat to absorb me? Isn’t your entire creed about people doing what they want?”

The sting in his gut was back, pulsating up to his chest. But he paid it no mind, “It is...but the reason I chained you down is  _ because  _ I’m actually a very, very selfish person.” he felt his body move on its own, inching closer to Velvet.

She refused to move, staring him down, “How so?” 

He didn’t hesitate, “Because I refused to let you go...I didn’t want the adventure we were having...our adventure...to end like that.” He looked out towards the sky for a moment before facing her, “Our ships might have crossed by chance, but I want to see where this course leads you.”

Velvet’s eyes widened at his answer, a smirk accompanying it, “What makes you think I’m not any different from the other vengeance-obsessed humans? Why the sudden interest?”

“Oh it’s hardly sudden…” His own smirk joined hers, “And it’s because...I’ve seen you at your worst,” 

The fight with Oscar and Teresa flashed in his mind. He could remember all too clearly the despair in her eyes. 

He inched closer to her, “And I’ve seen you at your best” 

Another memory.  _ ‘That’s why, no matter how hard, no matter how sad it gets...I will take my vengeance to the very end!’ _

At that point, he could feel her breathe against him. When he spoke again, his voice barely reached a whisper, “And I...like what I see.”

It felt like an eternity passed around them. Eizen was about to pull away, they were done here.

“It’s getting late.” he noted as he slowly started to pull away from her.

“You’re right…” she never moved from her spot, instead she stared at him.

He would have accepted that as the end of their conversation. At least, had it not been for the sudden tight grip on his coat or for the pair of lips against his own. Time stopped for Eizen, the chapped yet soft feeling of Velvet’s lips and the sudden tongue inside his mouth shutting down any potential thought. He didn’t even think to react.

It felt like a long time before she pulled away, and yet it was still all too soon for him. 

“Hm, I was right, you do taste like the ocean,” Velvet commented, the moonlight and the dim glow surrounding them highlighting her soft smile, “And you  _ definitely _ sampled the palmiers…” she softly chuckled while patting where she had gripped him.

Eizen had no response, he could barely even register what had just happened, something he knew amused her to no end.

She turned from him, walking toward the rooms, “Like I said, we can talk later.” she turned back to him, hand on her hip, “Are you coming, or do you want to stomp around lost again?”

The answer was obvious. 

**Author's Note:**

> A big thank you to Scarfinator for proofreading this for me and helping me iron out some stuff! You can find me on Twitter @galaxygalko!


End file.
